


Morning Routine

by nagemeikenu



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Fluff, James and Peter get them to admit their feelings, M/M, Marauders, Marauders Era (Harry Potter), Marauders Friendship (Harry Potter), Mutual Pining, Remus is a sassy bitch, Sirius is a dramatic ho, but they're perfect together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:00:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25775524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nagemeikenu/pseuds/nagemeikenu
Summary: Remus is in denial about his feelings, Sirius is dramatic to the degree of annoyance, and James and Peter have had quite enough. So, one night in the Common Room, the two of them orchestrate a plan for them to admit their true feelings.
Relationships: Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Comments: 10
Kudos: 123





	Morning Routine

**Author's Note:**

> This was a journal prompt that probably should have been a way to create a morning routine. This happened instead, and I'm not sorry. Many, many thanks to [ RJ ](www.therealrjlupin.tumblr.com), who Brit-picked and beta'd this fic! They were lots of help! <3

Remus had a comfy armchair close to the fire, a bag of lemon sweets Mum had owled to him, and the next installment of “The Lord of the Rings”, called “The Twin Towers”, and he considered it a very nearly perfect evening.

It would have been perfect if Sirius--or any of his other mates--were in the common room with him, but they were all otherwise occupied. Sirius had gotten detention for hexing Snivellus, even though the greasy git had been harassing Regulus. James had Quidditch practice, and Pete had deserted him to study with Mary Macdonald. No one knew Herbology like Mary, and Peter was helping her with that pesky Astronomy essay on Saturn. Remus almost wished he hadn’t got so ahead on his work so he could rest for the upcoming moon.

Two hours later, after he’d long given up on reading and simply watched the fire, Peter came to sit by him.

“Hey, you alright?” Peter settled into the chair and stole a sweet.

“Yeah, yeah.” Remus looked at him. Peter looked like something was on his mind, with his brow furrowed and his eyes darting about the nearly empty room. “How did the homework go?”

“I think I finally understand Mandrakes now.” Peter shook his head and sighed. “Mary memorized the moons, which she needed to. So, good job all ‘round, I’d say.”

“Good,” Remus said.

“So…” Peter drummed his fingers on the armrest.

“So?” Remus raised his eyebrows at the fair-haired boy.

“When are you going to tell him?”

“Tell who...what?” Remus blinked.

“Tell Sirius you fancy him.” Peter said calmly.

“What?” Remus’ stomach filled with ice. He thought he’d been so very careful...then again, Peter saw everything. There was no hiding any bloody thing from the twat.

“Come off it, Moons. You can’t hide it forever.”

“It’s...it’s nothing; shallow attraction.”

“Bullshit. He’s in everything you do.” Peter stole another sweet, so Remus simply set the bag at this hip, out of reach.

“He is _not_.” Remus said stubbornly.  
“Prove it,” Peter suggested. “Walk me through your morning. Anytime you mention him, I get a sweet.”

Remus glared, debating his options. On the one hand, going through with it would settle the matter once and for all. On the other, he had a sneaking suspicion that he’d been lying to himself as well as everyone else. He wasn’t sure he was ready to face that, especially as there was no chance Sirius fancied him back. Peter simply looked at him expectantly, and Remus bit his lip.

“Fine.” He sat up straight, determined to prove Peter, and possibly himself, wrong. “I wake up, use the loo and get dressed. Then, I drag Sirius--”

“Aha!” Peter held out a hand. Remus groaned and gave him his reward. “Go on.”

“You know as well as I do that Sirius needs to be dragged out of bed to be on time for any damn thing.” Remus grumbled.

“Hmm.” Peter responded, twirling the wrapper in his fingers.

“Well, after he’s up, I go down to breakfast and pour Sirius--”

“That’s two,” Peter interrupts.

“Piss off.” Remus throws the sweet at him half-heartedly. “Pads is particular about his tea and I’m the only one of us who gets it right.”

“Sure.” Peter nodded diplomatically as he unwrapped the yellow treat. “Go on.”

“Well, that’s when I dish up his plate.” Remus hands over another one into Peter’s waiting hand. “It’s because I’m being nice to him.”

“Why aren’t you  _ being nice _ to me or Jamie?”

“Because usually you’re down with me by then.” Remus dodges.

“No, we’re not, but we’ll let you think that.” Peter shrugs at Remus’ glare. “Go on, then.”

“I start eating and wait for S--the rest of you lot to get down.”

“That counts.” Peter tells him.

“It does not.”

“Hand it over, it absolutely does.”

“Fine then, take it.” Remus gives in. “After, I got to my first class.”

“If it’s a free period?”

“That’s for Tuesdays and Thursdays.”

“So? I’ve got Divination first thing then with Prongs. You have a free period with your objet d’amour.”

“Piss  _ off _ , he is not my  _ objet d’amour _ . He’s a fit-looking mate.”

“So, what do you do with your ‘fit looking mate’, then?”

“Dunno, we…” Remus tried to find the right way to explain it.

“Flirt?”

“ _ No _ ,” Remus said firmly.

“Is it possible that you flirt and hope he doesn’t notice?”

“Well…” Remus moistened his lips. “Maybe.” It was lowering to admit it, but he’d never been able to help himself. One does not simply refrain from flirting with Sirius O. Black.

“Lads, how has your night been?” James called over.

“Remus finally admitted he flirts with Sirius.”

“You’re joking!” James laughed as he collided with an armchair.

“I collected a sweet each time Remus mentioned him.”

“So, you’ve got what? Fifty?”

“He’s got  _ four _ , you prick.” Remus’ face felt quite warm, but he knew he couldn’t blame it on the fire.

“From Remus’ morning routine: from waking through breakfast,” Peter explained.

“That’s quite a lot, actually.” James put in thoughtfully.

“It is  _ not _ .” Remus rolled his eyes.

“Right, so I’ll do mine, and anytime one of you wankers get mentioned, you get a sweet. Fair?”

“Yeah,” Remus decided.

“Right, so I wake up, throw some joggers and go on my run on the pitch with Pete.”

“Aha!” Remus unwraps a sweet smugly. James simply shrugged. Peter rolled his eyes and gestured for James to continue.

“Then I shower in the locker rooms, get dressed, and get to the Great Hall for breakfast with you lot.”

“That counts,” Remus said it just for form, but knew he’d lost.

“Fine,” James said. “That’s two sweets, and really,  _ one _ sweet, to your four.” James spread his hands in a gesture that said,  _ there you have it _ . Remus opened his mouth, then closed it with a frown.

“Apparently, Pads is his ‘fit looking mate,’” Peter disclosed with a chuckle.

“Moony.” James rubbed his face with both hands. “You’re completely gone for him. He’s gone for you, too, by the way.”

“He is  _ not _ ,” Remus sputtered, feeling quite like he was standing chest deep in the Black Lake while his friends laughed on the shore, ignoring that he couldn’t bloody swim.

“We’ll run the routine thing by him when he’s done with Minnie,” James suggested. “You’ll see.”

“That’s a good one, Prongs!” Peter grinned.

“You’re both gits.” Remus opened his book and forced himself to read while Wormy and Prongs laughed.

He listened to his brothers bicker and stopped them from stealing his sherbet lemons until Sirius swaggered into the Common Room an hour later. Remus pretended his heart rate didn’t speed up drastically, that he didn’t immediately perk up.

“How’s it, Pads?”

“Minnie had me writing lines, but it wasn’t so bad. What have you been doing?”

“Moony’s being  _ boring _ and he isn’t sharing,” Peter told him.

“What isn’t he sharing?” Sirius’ silver eyes immediately swiveled to Remus, who was in the middle of a very put-upon sigh.

“ _ My _ sweets,” Remus told him.

“Yours, are they?”

“ _ Yes. _ ” Remus narrowed his eyes at Sirius, who had that look on his face, the one where he was determined to change whatever it was he’d decided wouldn’t do.

“Are we not your  _ brothers, _ Moony?”

“Brothers who can get their own bloody sweets.” Remus put a hand over the bag protectively.

“But one of your brothers doesn’t have the benefit of a loving family,” Sirius said with a forlorn expression.

“We  _ are _ your loving family, you git.” Remus rolled his eyes.

“Not giving me sweets, are you?” Sirius maintained his sorrowful look.

“Mr and Mrs Potter sent you cauldron cakes last week,” Remus reminded him.

“That was  _ last week _ .”

“You’re pathetic, Pads.”

“I am, and you’re being completely insensitive.”

“I am.” Remus smiled thinly, maintaining his grip. Sirius sighed, and looked to James.

“Moony doesn’t  _ love me _ , Jamie.” James had the audacity to laugh. “Don’t laugh at my woes, Prongs! How  _ dare you _ !”

“Padfoot, we know damn well that Moony loves you dearly.” Remus immediately felt his face heat up again. Luckily, Sirius wasn’t paying attention to his blush.

“He’s got a funny way of showing it, doesn’t he, Pete?” Sirius shot back with a pout.

“He helps you with Arithmancy, doesn’t he?” James attempted to de-escalate Sirius’ tantrum, which Remus appreciated, but all of them knew it was far too late.

“He does that to shut me up,” Sirius whined.

“I do, actually,” Remus told him. He couldn’t help it; Sirius was far too entertaining when he was being that dramatic.

“See?! He doesn’t  _ love me, James _ !” Sirius flopped onto the floor with the last words becoming a wail.

“Did you have to?” Peter gave him an exasperated look.

“He deserves the truth, doesn’t he?” Remus unwrapped a sweet, just to rub it in.

“ _ Moony _ !” Sirius gasped. “How  _ could you _ ?”

“What?” Remus asked with his typical innocent tone, and then popped the sherbet lemon into his mouth with a grin.

“YOU’RE EATING ONE!” Sirius’ voice was caught between a wail and a shout.

“One of  _ my sweets _ ?” Remus raised a brow at the boy on the floor. “Why, yes, I am. I am eating a sherbet lemon my mum sent me, you’re entirely correct.”

“You told me that what was  _ yours was mine, too _ !”

“I never said that at all,” Remus corrected him, even as he felt his neck start to heat up.

“You’re  _ betraying me _ !”

“I’m eating a sweet, Pads.”

“You’re eating away our brotherhood!”

“RIGHT, that’s enough!” James stepped over Sirius, shoved Remus’ shoulder aside and snagged the bag.

“OI!” Remus shouted.

“I want him to shut up, Moony, just let it happen.” James put the bag none-too-gently onto Sirius’ stomach.

“You don’t love me  _ either _ .” Sirius sat up with the bag in his lap, still pouting.

“Stuff it and eat a sweet.” James sat back down. Sirius snickered and started unwrapping one. Remus shook his head.

“You’re all incorrigible.” Remus opened his book again.

“Wait, don’t nerd yet!” Sirius tugged on his trouser leg.

“Don’t you have what you want?” Remus felt the next tug and closed the book with a loud sigh. “ _ What _ ?”

“I haven’t seen you since dinner,” Sirius said, and looked like a petulant child.

“And?” Remus gave him a bland stare.

“I, as a  _ loving _ human being, missed you.” Sirius sat back again, looking at him expectantly.

“Did we not just establish that I am not loving?”

“You could always prove me wrong,” Sirius suggested.

“Why bother proving something that isn’t wrong?” Remus wondered.

“You love me, Moony, stop pretending.” Sirius placidly leaned against the armchair he previously abandoned.

“Sure,” he said easily, and opened the book again so Sirius wouldn’t see his pathetically wistful look.

“You  _ do _ .” Sirius said firmly.

“I’ve agreed.” Remus turned the page though he’d read no words. He told himself it didn’t matter anyway.

“You’ve agreed to shut me up.”

“As usual.” It took a Herculean effort to not laugh.

“Moonyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.”

“ _ What _ ?” Remus looked up from the book. Sirius had his forlorn look back on his face.

“Say that you love me and  _ mean it _ .” Sirius stared at him.

“I love you, Padfoot. Happy?”

“ _ No _ , you said it to shut me up. Again.” Remus sighed.

“Hey, Pads, we know a way to prove that you love Moony.” James put in.

“Really? And he’ll feel guilty and say ‘I love you’ genuinely?” Sirius lit up.

“Exactly!” Peter nodded. “It’s easy. You tell us about your morning, and every time you mention one of us, you get to eat a sweet.”

“Excellent, Wormtail!” James clapped. Peter took a mock bow and Sirius nodded eagerly.

“Well, as you know, I don’t get out of bed until my Moonpie wakes me.” Sirius took a sherbet lemon and ceremoniously placed it on his knee. “Then, I shower and get dressed for the day. By the time I’ve made myself gorgeous and gone to the Great Hall, Moony has my tea and plate ready, because he loves me after all.” Sirius took two more and placed them on his knee.

“That’s  _ one _ , Pads.”

“My tea  _ and _ my plate, Moony dearest. That’s two!”

“I second that,” James said immediately.

“And a third,” Peter announced, “majority rules Remus incorrect.”

“If it’s Monday, Wednesday, or Thursday, Moony and I go to Arithmancy first thing,” Sirius adds, and takes another sweet.

“What do you do on Tuesdays and Thursdays?” James demanded.

“I wander the castle with my love.” Sirius took a fifth sherbet lemon with a very pleased grin on his face.

“Well, there we have it: Sirius loves Remus and it’s unrequited.” Peter shrugged and stood. Remus gaped as James nodded in agreement while Peter stretched and yawned. “Goodnight, then, lads. I’m off.”

“Me, too. Practice was intense.” James and Peter made such a swift exit, Sirius and Remus were left completely alone within seconds. Remus could feel his heart pounding.

“As a consolation, I’m taking your sweets. They’ll heal my broken heart.”

“Will they?” Remus managed to lift a brow and appear completely nonchalant.

“No.” Sirius stood. “Worth a try, though.”

“Wait,” Remus blurted. “You’re having me on, right?”

“No, I’m taking the bag,” Sirius said.

“Not about that, you git.” Remus stood. “The other bit.”

“The bit where my love is unrequited?” Sirius dropped the five sweets from earlier back into the bowl. “Well, it is, and I’m quite used to that.”

“You’re taking the piss.” Remus almost couldn’t breathe.

“I’m not.” Sirius’ face had no trace of mischief, of a joke. “That’s not something people should joke about. Not even us.”

“I agree.” Remus tried to collect his thoughts, but his mind was whirling. “But you’re wrong.”

“About what?” Sirius tilted his head. “About the sweets? No, they’re mine now.”

“Forget the bloody sherbet.” Remus glared at him.

“The other bit?” Sirius looked unsure.

“Yes.” Remus couldn’t believe he was saying it. “I…”

“You…” Sirius looked nervous, for once.

“I love you, too.” Remus felt those three words rush out of his mouth like he’d thrown them at Sirius. The bag fell to the floor, and Sirius had his hands on Remus’ hips. Their mouths collided and Sirius tasted like the sharp lemon, like home, and like fire all at the same time. Remus couldn’t get enough.

Dizzily, joyfully, he thought their morning routines would never be the same.


End file.
